Gas turbine engines typically include at least a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. In general, during operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases flow through the turbine section, which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine loads.
The compressor section and the turbine section may each include alternating rows of rotor and stator assemblies. The rotor assemblies carry rotating blades that create or extract energy (in the form of pressure) from the core airflow that is communicated through the gas turbine engine. The stator assemblies include stationary structures called stators or vanes that direct the core airflow to the blades to either add or extract energy.
A rotor assembly typically comprises a rotor disk carrying a plurality of blades spaced about the circumference of the rotor disk. Multiple rotor assemblies are arranged axially along one or more engine shafts to form a rotor stack, and one or more rotor stacks typically comprise the compressor section or turbine section of the engine. Tie bolts—also referred to as tie shafts or tie rods—are used to axially compress, or clamp, a rotor stack. Tie bolts extend axially, typically parallel and concentric with the axis of rotation of the engine, and react the aerodynamic loading of the blades of the rotor assemblies caused by air and/or combustion gasses acting on the blades.
While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.